Yikes, my buddy once called some fossils just old rocks... bad move.

Isn't that making it sound way more dangerous than it is? Seems like one of those shop rules that gets passed around more as a scary story than a real daily hazard. People have been working with foundries and hot metal for ages without overthinking a handful of sand. Sure, getting burned is bad, but calling it a "steam burst" makes it sound like a bomb going off. Probably just a good way to get guys to be careful so they don't make a wet mess and ruin the pour.

How old is your forge lining? That stuff can break down and cause weird heat pockets over time. Did this just start happening or has it been getting worse?

Wait, you said "people sand down old wood until it loses all its story" and I just had a full stop moment. You can't seriously compare a chunk of wood to a metal tool covered in active rust. That rust isn't a story, it's a disease that's eating the thing. Letting it crumble away in a drawer isn't honor, it's neglect. Cleaning off the gunk and putting a light coat of oil on the joints isn't making it a showpiece, it's basic care so it lasts another fifty years. The story is in the worn handles and the bent jaw, not in the orange flakes that will eventually turn into a pile of dust.

Notice how one bad experience can completely change how you handle simple things. It's like your brain sticks a warning label on anything related from then on. Makes you second guess stuff you used to do without a thought.